Speeches by Jogee.

“I too wish the shadow Minister a happy birthday. In October 2024, people from across Newcastle-under-Lyme came together for the unveiling of a wonderful statue of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Queen’s Gardens. There has been much talk of Heathrow airport in recent days. As our nation will mark the 100th annive…”

“Sing it!”

“When you ask for people to work at the count centres—and there are three in Northern Ireland—how are those roles advertised and how much are people paid?”

“For clarity, in Northern Ireland, you cannot do the up-to-three-year request for the postal vote. Each individual election requires a separate application.”

“Who determines the threshold on eligibility for those 5,000 people? I am just thinking. There was an article I read in the paper—I think it was today, but it may have been yesterday—that talked about Northern Ireland’s population getting older. Age was not one of the criteria that you referred to. In the context of the…”

“Good morning. Welcome. It is nice to see you all. I have a couple of questions, Chair, if you do not mind, before I go into the substantive one, in relation to a couple of points that have been raised. I want to acknowledge the work that all those who work on council elections do. It is an intense period of time, endin…”

“In my view you cannot put a price on democracy, so that is helpful. On behaviour, you touched on particularly the police looking at issues of fraud at, potentially, polling stations. We have also touched, chief executive, on intimidation and abuse, and the experience of candidates. Can I ask what the experience of poll…”

“I would not mess with Big Gav; that is the man they need. I have two final questions. Mr Hughes, you touched on how 3% of eligible voters in Northern Ireland use the postal vote. Do you get 100% return on the postal vote?”

“Lastly, chief executive, you said that there were a number of lessons that GB and more generally the rest of us could look to and pick up from Northern Ireland. Can you expand on what they are?”

“That brings with it the challenge of accessibility of course, but you are right. “United in our difference” speaks to the story of our kingdom, does it not? That gives us food for thought.”

“I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and the shadow Foreign Secretary for her response to it. It is important that the House speaks with one voice on these issues. In recent days, I have heard from constituents with family in Sudan, and to say that they are terrified and devastated does not describe it. Ther…”

“I would like to start by welcoming both the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Emma Reynolds), and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea West (Torsten Bell), to their new positions. My hon. Friend the Member for Swansea West and I go w…”

“No confirmation was sought or provided. As my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumber-land noted, our rural communities remain at the heart of our country, economy, society, culture, heritage and arts. They deserve to be championed by all layers of Government. We heard from my hon. Friend just what His Majesty’s ne…”

“Go on!”

“I am enjoying listening to the Minister’s speech, and I am learning quite a lot. Will she do me and the House a favour by sharing her thoughts on how I can best describe the benefits of this Bill to the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme when I go home tonight? I am sure she knows far better than me.”

“I am pleased to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield (Dave Robertson), a good Staffordshire man. He and I do lots of work together, so I enjoyed seeing him cast the iPad away and speak from his heart, which he did very well. I am grateful to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for calling me to speak—I will say just a…”

“I very much echo the Minister’s points about the commitment of this Government and those on the Government Benches to supporting the people of Northern Ireland. As she is touching on the Executive office, its functions and stability, will she give us her view on the merits of redesignating the offices of Deputy First M…”

“I am enjoying listening to the hon. Lady’s speech, as I suspect are many hon. Members. She has touched on the important role that Westminster can play, which of course is true—this is the Parliament of the United Kingdom—but what more does she think the political parties in Northern Ireland can do? The whole premise an…”

“I have the pleasure of being the constituency neighbour of both my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Chester South and Eddisbury (Aphra Brandreth). My hon. Friend has touched on the communities who benefit from Crewe station, including those from Madeley, Balterley and Betley, and many of my Newcastle-under-Lyme cons…”

“I am very grateful to the Minister for giving way. May I urge her, as she seeks to consider options on capacity, to ensure that there is real and meaningful engagement with the communities that will be impacted, as mine in Newcastle-under-Lyme and those in many other parts of north Staffordshire have been? Without that…”